The Box in the Woods

Stevie Bell, the amateur detective who solved cold cases at her boarding school, takes on a new challenge when she's invited to work as a counselor at Camp Sunny Pines. But this isn't just any summer camp job—it's the site of a notorious unsolved quadruple murder from the 1970s known as the Box in the Woods murders. When Stevie arrives with her friends to help run a true crime-themed camp session, she's eager to investigate the decades-old case. However, things take a sinister turn when a new murder occurs, and suddenly the past and present collide in dangerous ways. Johnson delivers another clever mystery that combines true crime obsession with summer camp atmosphere. The novel explores themes of justice, the ethics of true crime entertainment, and how we process violence through storytelling. Fans of the Truly Devious series will appreciate Stevie's sharp investigative skills and witty inner monologue, while the camp setting adds both nostalgia and claustrophobic tension. The book works as a standalone but offers extra enjoyment for readers familiar with Stevie's previous adventures, blending puzzle-solving satisfaction with genuine scares and the complicated dynamics of young adult relationships.